[c.perkins]

Recently purchased a K1 and so far I am quite pleased.
90% of my photos are nature/wildlife.

Wanted to test the DA*300 and 1.4xHD converter today on something that does not move around too much and these are not the best photographs but good enough using a swan as the test subject.
Kind of a dreary day today but I think it turned out fine.

First pic is the DA*300
Second pic shows what vignetting you will get with the DA*300 using the 1.4x HD
Third pic is cropped DA*300
Fourth pic is cropped using the 1.4x

All photos are acceptable to me.
I am using auto ISO set between 100-1600.
Need to mention that the K1 treats the DA*300 as an APS-C lens, so the frame rate is at the high end; just as fast as the K5IIs.

Clarence

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[jpzk]

Very nice, all of them.
Now, which gear/settings do YOU prefer?

[ramseybuckeye]

Very nice, I don't think you seem to lose much with the TC.

[NoCo Pentaxian]

Cropped after being shot in FF or in crop mode? I've thought about getting a K-1 as an upgrade to my K-3, but my lens set (including the DA* 300 mm) is very crop-centric.

[SSGGeezer]

Nice Clarence! Are you loving the K-1 in APSC mode?

[pschlute]

Need to mention that the K1 treats the DA*300 as an APS-C lens, so the frame rate is at the high end; just as fast as the K5IIs.

You can use the DA* 300 in crop mode or in FF mode. There is virtually no vignetting at all in FF mode as the lens design is based of the FF image circle. The K1 lens correction settings for this lens are available for use on the K1 in both modes.

[Sandy Hancock]

The DA*300 is 100% full frame compatible.
The teleconverter is certainly not, but it works well in crop mode.

This all well known, but everyone needs to do their own tests. I'll be happily taking both as my long options to Antarctica. Unless there is a big sale on the DFA150-450 before I go

[WPRESTO]

Very nice, I don't think you seem to lose much with the TC.

And there is the point about a TC from MPOV.

1) they were devised in the film era to give more telephoto reach, or the ability to crop off extraneous detail, because it was extremely difficult to crop chromes
2) the very best TC cannot improve the IQ of a lens, they can only avoid degrading the IQ
3) if the lens + TC image is indistinguishable from a crop from the lens alone, the TC has provided no advantage at the price of the TC and loss of an f-stop.

To my eye, the detail in the feathers on the swan's back is a tiny bit better in the lens only shot than in the lens + TC, but that might be a consequence of where precisely the plane of focus fell, or how much DOF existed in each case. If you were using shutter priority, so that the aperture increased when the TC was added, there would be less DOF in the lens + TC image. If you lost one shutter speed, indicating the lens remained at a nominal f5.6 that became an effective f8 when the TC was added, I'm not certain about the DOF but I suspect it might stay the same, or in other words: is DOF on a 300mm at f5.6 identical to that of a 420mm @ f8, if they are focused at the same distance? Could be, but I'm not certain

[c.perkins]

Cropped after being shot in FF or in crop mode? I've thought about getting a K-1 as an upgrade to my K-3, but my lens set (including the DA* 300 mm) is very crop-centric.

I forgot to mention that I only shoot in FF mode.
I have it manually set cause if you have it on Auto the K1 will go to Crop mode when you install the DA*300.

---------- Post added 06-03-18 at 11:33 AM ----------

Nice Clarence! Are you loving the K-1 in APSC mode?

I only shoot in FF mode with the DA*300
Have used the Crop mode for the DA*16-50 and DA*50-135 but no reason to cause I might just as well use the K5IIs or K5II as they would be about the same megapixels as the K1 in Crop mode.

---------- Post added 06-03-18 at 11:38 AM ----------

You can use the DA* 300 in crop mode or in FF mode. There is virtually no vignetting at all in FF mode as the lens design is based of the FF image circle. The K1 lens correction settings for this lens are available for use on the K1 in both modes.

You are correct, there is no vignetting in FF mode with the DA*300 on the K1 as you can see in the first photo.It does vignette with the 1.4x installed in FF mode as seen in the second photo.
I would rather use all the megapixels I can with the K1 and it does deliver.

---------- Post added 06-03-18 at 11:46 AM ----------

Very nice, I don't think you seem to lose much with the TC.

I do not think I loose much either.Both photos were focused on the head.
I also need to say that these were shot handheld.
I notice that the SR on the K1 is better then on the K5IIs.

---------- Post added 06-03-18 at 11:53 AM ----------

The DA*300 is 100% full frame compatible.
The teleconverter is certainly not, but it works well in crop mode.

This all well known, but everyone needs to do their own tests. I'll be happily taking both as my long options to Antarctica. Unless there is a big sale on the DFA150-450 before I go

Figure I would just shoot in FF mode when using the 1.4x cause I generally crop a bit on my photos anyway.
Might as well use all the pixels I can get which is one of the reasons for purchasing the K1.

By the way, have a nice and safe trip, sounds like a neat place to go.

---------- Post added 06-03-18 at 11:56 AM ----------

Very nice, all of them.
Now, which gear/settings do YOU prefer?

Any particular settings ?
There is a whole bunch of them



---------- Post added 06-03-18 at 11:59 AM ----------

And there is the point about a TC from MPOV.

1) they were devised in the film era to give more telephoto reach, or the ability to crop off extraneous detail, because it was extremely difficult to crop chromes
2) the very best TC cannot improve the IQ of a lens, they can only avoid degrading the IQ
3) if the lens + TC image is indistinguishable from a crop from the lens alone, the TC has provided no advantage at the price of the TC and loss of an f-stop.

To my eye, the detail in the feathers on the swan's back is a tiny bit better in the lens only shot than in the lens + TC, but that might be a consequence of where precisely the plane of focus fell, or how much DOF existed in each case. If you were using shutter priority, so that the aperture increased when the TC was added, there would be less DOF in the lens + TC image. If you lost one shutter speed, indicating the lens remained at a nominal f5.6 that became an effective f8 when the TC was added, I'm not certain about the DOF but I suspect it might stay the same, or in other words: is DOF on a 300mm at f5.6 identical to that of a 420mm @ f8, if they are focused at the same distance? Could be, but I'm not certain

I have been keeping the K1 in P-mode using MTF.
Both photos were taken at ISO 100 at f5.6 and 1/500sec, not my selection but the cameras.
Good points, maybe I should bump it to f8 when using the 1.4x


All in all I am very pleased with the K1.
The photos that I am taking now appear to have more detail.
The SR on the K1 is a step above.
And I can use all my older manual focus lenses

Clarence

[c.perkins]

The K-1+DA*300+HD1.4TC is a great combo kit for the subjects that attract your (& my) attention. I use it almost every day and get results others seem to like. Tons of examples in the link below.
Don't fail to update the firmware to the latest version (1.43)... really makes a BIG difference and moves the K-1 from good to excellent.

Cheers... M

BTW: While I'm still on the learning curve for the K-1 MkII, I'm finding that it helps make my kit even better. If you are considering the Pentax K-1 conversion to MkII offer and are undecided, I recommend you take it.

Thanks for the input.
First thing I did after receiving the new K1 was the update to v1.43
Could have bought the K1M2 for like $300 or so more but with everything I have read so far did not feel it was worth the extra coin for my needs.

Clarence